Method for generating an antiviral polycationic polymer

Abstract

The invention comprises a method for generating a polycationic polymer, comprising the steps of: (1) providing polyethylenimine polymers comprising at least four non-protonated amines for every protonated amine; (2) protonating at least two percent of the non-protonated amines with at least one organic acid, the step of protonating further comprising the step of introducing organic conjugate base counterions to the protonated amines; and (3) decreasing pH of a solution containing the polyethylenimine polymers by at least 0.5 pH units, the solution comprising at least five percent water. Optionally, the step of protonating further comprises the step of yielding formate counterions to the polyethylenimine polymer.

1 . A method for generating a polycationic polymer, comprising the steps of:
 providing polyethylenimine polymers comprising at least five non-protonated amines for every protonated amine;   protonating at least two percent of said non-protonated amines with at least one organic acid, said step of protonating further comprising the step of:
 introducing organic conjugate base counterions to said protonated amines; and 
   decreasing pH of a solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers by at least 0.5 pH units, said solution comprising at least five percent water.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , said step of protonating further comprising the step of:
 yielding formate counterions to said polyethylenimine polymer.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of:
 tuning a concentration of formate to greater than fifteen percent of a total concentration of formate and formic acid in said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , said step of protonating further comprising the step of:
 yielding acetate counterions to said polyethylenimine polymers.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of:
 tuning a formate-to-acetate ratio, in said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers, to less than ten-to-one.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , said step of protonating further comprising the step of:
 acidifying greater than twenty percent of said non-protonated amines with hydrogens from said at least one organic acid.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 adding hydrochloric acid to said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 increasing iodide concentration of said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers to greater than ten parts per million.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
 forming a film from said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers, said film comprising less than five percent water.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 inactivating greater than fifty percent of a virus upon contact of the virus with said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers for a period exceeding five minutes.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of protonating further comprises the step of:
 introducing a polyprotic acid to said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 inactivating greater than fifty percent of a bacteria upon contact of the bacteria with said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers for a period exceeding five minutes.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 forming a film from said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers, said film comprising less than five percent water.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
 introducing to said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers both:
 a first counterion type to first cations of said polyethylenimine polymers, said first counterion type comprising a first mass of at least 0.03 percent of a polymer mass of said polyethylenimine polymers; and 
 a second counterion type to second cations of said polyethylenimine polymers, said second counterion type comprising a second mass of at least 0.03 percent of said polymer mass, 
   said first counterion type differing from said second counterion type.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 incorporating into said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers a third counterion type to third cations of said polyethylenimine polymers, said third counterion type comprising a third mass of at least 0.03 percent of said polymer mass,   each of said first counterion type, said second counterion type, and said third counterion type comprising a counterion type separately selected from a set of counterion types, comprising: chloride counterions, formate counterions, acetate counterions, iodide counterions, and citrate counterions,   said first counterion type differing from said third counterion type,   said second counterion type differing from said third counterion type.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:
 increasing a pH containing said polyethylenimine polymers, prior to said step of providing polyethylenimine polymers, from a first pH under 4 to a second pH over 6; and   acidifying, subsequent to said step of increasing said pH, said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers from said second pH to a third pH under 5.5.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
 reducing, after said step of increasing and prior to said step of acidifying, salt of said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers by at least twenty percent.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 forming a solid film from less than five milliliters of said polyethylenimine polymers, said film comprising a cationic charge of greater than three coulombs.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 tuning a concentration of formate to greater than fifteen percent of a total concentration of formate and formic acid in said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers, said step of protonating further comprising the step of yielding acetate counterions to said polyethylenimine polymer;   acidifying greater than twenty percent of said non-protonated amines with hydrogens from said at least one organic acid;   adding hydrochloric acid to said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers;   increasing iodide concentration of said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers to greater than ten parts per million;   inactivating greater than fifty percent of a virus upon contact of the virus with said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers for a period exceeding five minutes;   introducing to said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers:
 a first counterion type to first cations containing said polyethylenimine polymers, said first counterion type comprising a first mass of at least 0.03 percent of a mass containing said polyethylenimine polymers; 
 a second counterion type to second cations containing said polyethylenimine polymers, said second counterion type comprising a second mass of at least 0.03 percent of said mass containing said polyethylenimine polymers; and 
 a third counterion type to third cations containing said polyethylenimine polymers, said third counterion type comprising a third mass of at least 0.03 percent containing said polyethylenimine polymers, 
   said first counterion type, said second counterion type, and said third counterion type each comprising a counterion type selected from a set of cation types, comprising: chloride counterions, formate counterions, acetate counterions, iodide counterions, and citrate counterions, said first counterion type differing from said second counterion type, said first counterion type differing from said third counterion type, and said second counterion type differing from said third counterion type; and   forming a film from said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers, said film comprising less than five percent water and a total cationic charge of greater than three coulombs.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:
 increasing a pH containing said polyethylenimine polymers, prior to said step of providing polyethylenimine polymers, from a first pH under 4 to a second pH over 6;   reducing, after said step of increasing, salt of said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers by at least twenty percent; and   acidifying, after said step of reducing, said solution containing said polyethylenimine polymers from said second pH to a third pH under 5.5.